SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Talk about an incredible way to finish a tournament.
After pounding his drive 325 yards down the middle of the 18th fairway, Justin Thomas had only 102 yards left for his second shot. He had already made four birdies over his five last holes, although a bogey at the famous par-3 16th soured that stretch somewhat.
Yet, his second on the 18th hole softened the blow of that bogey and then some. Thomas holed out for an eagle two, soaring into the top five at the WM Phoenix Open.
“It was a pretty good lob wedge number,” Thomas said on the CBS Telecast after.
“I was actually over the ball with a sand wedge, and I backed off for some reason and felt that it was a better decision to hit a full lob wedge. And it was. We played some really good golf this week and didn’t have much to show for it, so we deserved that one a little bit.”
Good thing Thomas made that switch. According to golf statistician Justin Ray, Thomas became the first player to eagle the 18th hole at TPC Scottsdale during the final round. He shot a 5-under 31 on the back nine and totaled a 6-under 65 overall, his lowest score of the week.
Thomas has had a solid start to his 2025 campaign overall. His best finish thus far came at The American Express, where he finished solo second. Depending on how the other contenders finish at TPC Scottsdale, Thomas may record his second top-5 of the season, but a top-10 finish is a lock. He will head into next week’s Genesis Invitational at Torrey Pines with plenty of momentum and hopes to win a PGA Tour event for the first time since the 2022 PGA Championship at Southern Hills, where he defeated Will Zalatoris in a playoff to capture the second Wanamaker Trophy of his career.
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Follow him on X @jack_milko.
